New
New
Year 9

Climate change and environmental challenges in the Middle East

I can explain how climate change affects the Middle East.

New
New
Year 9

Climate change and environmental challenges in the Middle East

I can explain how climate change affects the Middle East.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Rising temperatures make the region hotter and drier.
  2. Water scarcity is worsening due to climate change, and this impacts food supplies.
  3. Countries can use their natural resources to respond to climate change.

Keywords

  • Climate change - the large-scale and long-term change in the planet’s climate, including weather patterns and average temperatures

  • Desertification - the process by which semi-arid land becomes drier and turns into desert

  • Water scarcity - when there are not enough freshwater resources to meet the needs in a given area

Common misconception

The Middle East is already hot and dry, so climate change won’t really affect it.

Climate change will continue to make the region hotter and drier, which will have consequences such as desertification, water scarcity and food shortages.


To help you plan your year 9 geography lesson on: Climate change and environmental challenges in the Middle East, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Try to make links between the impacts of climate change in the UK to support students in understanding the global scale of the issues surorunding climate change.
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Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is a major environmental concern in the Middle East?

Hurricanes
Flooded forests
Correct answer: Desertification
Ice melting

Q2.
Long-term lack of rainfall can lead to severe .

Correct Answer: drought

Q3.
What is one reason water is becoming more scarce in the Middle East?

Too many lakes
Decreasing oil production
Correct answer: Rising demand and dry climate
Melting glaciers

Q4.
What type of pollution is a growing issue in cities like Tehran or Riyadh?

Water
Correct answer: Air
Soil
Light

Q5.
What is the impact of overusing groundwater in dry areas?

Correct answer: Aquifers can run dry
Underground water rises
Rivers get deeper
Soil gets stronger

Q6.
What human activity speeds up desertification in the Middle East?

Correct answer: Overgrazing
Reforestation
Conservation
Eco-tourism

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions:

Correct Answer:Climate change,Long-term global weather pattern changes

Long-term global weather pattern changes

Correct Answer:Desertification,Dry land becoming desert

Dry land becoming desert

Correct Answer:Water scarcity,Not enough freshwater for needs

Not enough freshwater for needs

Q2.
Which of the following is a likely effect of climate change in the Middle East?

Cooler winters
Increased rainfall
More forest growth
Correct answer: More heat and less rainfall

Q3.
How might climate change affect food supply in the Middle East?

Better crop growth
More fishing in the desert
Correct answer: Drought reduces crop yields
It will not affect farming

Q4.
Why is the idea that climate change won't affect the Middle East wrong?

It will only affect cold regions
Climate change makes deserts shrink
Correct answer: It will worsen dryness, causing serious challenges
The region is protected by oil wealth